Heart on my sleeve;

"someone who shows and displays their emotions and feelings openly."

a weakness?--

some would say yes.

usually i say definitely.

i leave myself exposed;

i put myself out there.

i let my walls down easily.

my emotions are impossible to hide

i am so trusting of everybody.

i am completely sincere and put my whole heart into everything i do.

and sometimes

all these things make me the target--

..make me the one most prone to pain.

difficult times that have occurred

have made me sometimes question

the way i am.

if i wasn't so open,

so forgiving,

if i kept walls up--

and was very selective

about who i let in--

maybe i wouldn't get so hurt.

but maybe,

i would lose out on other experiences.

the more important ones,

the meaningful ones.

those memories that stay with you through the years

and continue to teach you,

and make you smile

while others fade.

like that time i was the one

brave enough to first say what

we were both thinking:

i love you.

or when i was told after my soccer game by a complete stranger that he watched me for only ten minutes but knew from those few minutes that i had

a deep passion for the game,

and a boatload of

heart.

this "weakness" is the way i see and

respond to the world

and those around me.

this "weakness" is who i am

and the way i've always been.

wearing my heart

on my sleeve

is so me.

so Brooke Elizabeth Larsen.

maybe at this moment in my life

the pain that results from it can sometimes seem to outweigh the goodness.

but life has it's rough patches.

and i'm not going to change anything

because of anyone

or for anyone.

I'm me.

and my heart's on my sleeve.

and the goodness is going to come out conquerer over the pain.

#exposedbutstrong

A BEST FRIEND.

Do you have someone who knows you inside and out? I mean, really TRULY knows you. Someone who knows the little things about you. The things others don't even notice.

Do you have someone who you can sit in silence with and be content? Someone who can tell exactly what's on your mind with just a look? Someone who will sit and listen to you talk and vent your face off? Someone who is patient and kind with you even when you are being impossible?

Do you have someone who is ALWAYS there for you? Do you have someone who you are absolutely crazy with and do the most fun and spontaneous things together? someone that you have about a BILLION inside jokes with? (PUKALINI!!!, "FJ", hahabahba, "Isn't that NEAT?", "give it to me! No, not cake!" ....etc...)

Do you have someone who has blessed your life so strongly you know God put them there for a reason?

I Do.

Thank heavens for them; BEST FRIENDS. :)

Everyone needs one.

"The family unit is fundamental not only to society and to the church...

but to our hope for eternal life."

-Elder Henry B. Eyring

how blessed I am to be in the family that I am.

I love them more than words can express, and look forward to spending eternity with them.

STRENGTH.

a word thrown around by many, truly understood by few.

one doesn't---one can't---truly know the meaning of that word,

not until they are put into situations forcing them to have it.

situations where one would fail miserably without it..

situations where being strong is the ONLY option.

in moments where people would understand if you failed,

in moments where falling short would be accepted,

in moments where letting go is an option----

look inside.

there that word is again... STRENGTH.

you never know how much of it you have, how much of it you

can keep pulling out of seemingly thin air until you are tried

in ways beyond your previous capacity.

After persevering, enduring, pushing, and never giving up,

...you realize something.

the person you thought you were

is no match for the one you really are.

find it.

your STRENGTH.

I find more of mine every day.